ON  SLAVE  TRADE  (EAST  COAST  OF  AFRICA).

141

punishment.  This,  as  Syud  Thoweynee  admits,  would  be  a  stretch  of  legitimate  authority ­
  on  our  part  ;  but  he  maintains  that  anything  short  of  it  will  fail  ;  and,  moreover,
that  to  render  the  scheme  effectual,  British  agencies  should  be  established  along  the  coast,
and  British  steamers  employed  there,  who  should  act  in  concert  with  the  local  authorities
to  carry  out  its  provisions.
62.  The  foregoing  suggestions  are  not  devoid  of  plausibility,  but  the  policy  of  adopting
the  arbitrary  measures  proposed  is  fairly  open  to  question,  especially  at  the  present
juncture  when  the  idea  prevails  that  the  chief  of  Bahrein  has  sought  the  protection  of  the
Persian  flag,  partly  with  a  view  of  ridding  himself  and  his  people  of  the  restriction  imposed ­
  upon  him,  with  regard  to  the  slave  trade,  by  his  treaty  with  the  British.
63.  It  is  obvious,  moreover,  that  foreign  European  governments  would  hesitate  unless
their  concurrence  was  first  secured,  to  grant  to  the  ruler  of  Zanzibar,  or  to  his  officials  on
the  coast,  the  authority  requisite  for  effectually  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  this  scheme
towards  their  subjects,  or  towards  vessels  sailing  under  their  flags,  and  any  attempt  to
execute  the  same,  without  such  concurrence,  might  lead  to  serious  complications,
and  eventually,  perhaps,  to  measures  subversive  of  the  existing  native  sovereignty.
Therefore,  as  at  present  advised,  I  deem  it  prudent  to  withhold  any  decided  opinion
on  the  subject  of  slavery  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  until  by  personal  inquiries
at  Zanzibar,  I  shall  be  better  able  to  judge  of  the  feasibility  of  the  foregoing
and  of  other  suggestions  which  have  been  advanced  for  its  suppression.  Much,  doubtless,
will  depend  on  the  temper  of  those  foreign  powers  who  have  commercial  and  other
interests  in  that  quarter,  and  their  concurrence  is  most  likely  to  be  enlisted  by  our  propounding ­
  measures,  which,  whilst  conducive  to  the  attainment  of  the  benevolent  object
contemplated  by  the  British  Government,  will  be  devoid  of  every  feature  calculated  to
wound  their  national  sensibilities.  Such  a  concert  secured,  the  ruler  of  Zanzibar  might,
without  fear  of  the  consequences,  carry  into  execution,  within  his  own  territories,  the
recognised  prohibitive  laws  towards  any  of  the  subjects  of  those  Eastern  States,  or  chiefdoms
  bordering  on  the  Persian  Gulf,  whose  rulers  have  hitherto  declined  to  co-operate  in
any  effectual  measures  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade.
64.  The  importance  of  the  topics  discussed  will,  I  trust,  be  deemed  an  ample  apology
for  the  length  of  the  foregoing  Report.  I  conclude  by  submitting  the  same  to  the  favourable ­
  consideration  of  Government.
I  have,  &c,
(signed)  W.  M.  Coghlan,
Brigadier.
In  charge  Muscat  Zanzibar  Commission.

Appendix  (A.)

f  Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Lieutenant  Colonel  Humerton,  to  the  Right  Honourable  the  Earl
of  Aberdeen.^
My  Lord,  Zanzibar,  31  July  1844.
With  reference  to  the  communication  from  his  Highness  the  Imam  to  your  Lordship’s
address,  under  date  the  23rd  instant,  relative  to  his  Highness’s  intention  to  appoint  his  sons
Syud  Khaled  and  Syud  Thoweynee  to  succeed  on  the  death  of  his  Highness  to  the  government
of  his  African  and  Arabian  possessions  respectively,  I  beg  leave  to  represent,  for  the  information ­
  of  your  Lordship,  that  the  object  his  Highness  has  in  view  in  making  this  (’communication, ­
  is  to  ascertain  whether  he  may  look  to  Her  Majesty’s  Government  to  guarantee  the
succession  to  his  sons  Khaled  and  Thoweynee,  as  it  is  the  intention  of  his  Highness  to  set
aside  his  eldest  son,  Syud  Hilal,  and  disinherit  him  altogether,  but  in  doing  which,  considerable ­
  difficulty  is  likely  to  arise.  His  Highness’s  eldest  son,  Syud  Hilal,  being  the  greatest
favourite  of  the  Imam’s  Arab  subjects  ;  but  who  has  lately  fallen  under  the  displeasure  of
his  father  the  Imam,  he  has  been  deprived  of  all  his  confidential  followers,  and  is  closely
watched  by  the  Imâm.  His  Highness  well  knowing  the  feeling  of  the  people  towards
him,  could  not  permit  him  to  reside  in  any  part  of  his  dominions  where  his  Highness  himself ­
  is  not  present.  This  prince,  Syud  Hilal,  is  the  most  shrewd  and  energetic  of  all  the
Imam’s  sons,  and  has  the  good  will  and  sympathy  of  all  his  Highness’s  Arab  subjects;
they  always  say,  in  talking  of  him,  that  he  is  the  model  of  what  his  father  was.
The  prince,  Syud  Khaled,  the  Imam’s  second  son,  who  his  Highness  wishes  to  succeed  to
his  African  possessions,  is  unfortunately  not  esteemed  by  the  Imam’s  Arab  subjects  ;  he  is
penurious  and  grasping  to  a  degree  which  will  always  prevent  his  being  beloved  or  respected
by  the  Arabs.
The  prince,  Syud  Thoweynee,  the  Imâm’s  third  son,  who  his  Highness  wishes  to  succeed
to  his  Arabian  possessions,  is  in  every  way  superior  to  his  brother  Syud  Khaled  ;  but  it  is
not  supposed  he  could  maintain  his  position  in  Arabia  in  opposition  to  his  brother  Syud
Hilal.
[The  copy,  which  is  in  the  handwriting  of  the  late  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hamerton,  here  ends
abruptly.]

0.116.  S  3

Appendix,  No.  8.